gordon



A UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

GEO. P. GORDON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PRINTING-PRESS.

Specification forming part of Letters. Patent No. 20,874, dated July 13, 1858; Ressued April 12, 1859, No. 688.

To all wko/m rit may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. GORDON, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Printing-Press, and I do hereby declare the following is a full, clear, and eXact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings and figures of reference thereon, the same mark of reference always denoting the same part in all the figures of the drawi-ngs.

Of the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view, taken at the back of the machine, or opposite where the person feeding the paper is to stand. This shows the guides to lay the sheet against and the grippers about to take the laid sheet; the platen, with the spring strips to hold the sheet up to the platen while the impression is taken, and until the form has relieved itself from the sheet. It also gives the relative position of the distributing cylinder, the inkingrollers and the bed at the time one sheet is about to be received by one set of grippers and the second set of grippers is on its transit toward the place of depositing the sheet after it is printed. These last named operations follow one after the other in rapid succession, as the gripper frames or arms revolve.

Fig. 2, is an elevation of the front or feeding side of the machine, and shows the position of all the parts which may be seen from a plain front-side view of the machine; the red lines AA; B-B; and c-c showing where the sectional divisions take place; also showing in red the printed sheet in its progress toward being deposited on the table as will be more fully described hereafter.

Fig. 3, is a section, outside of the frame but inside the gearing and cams, taken as marked at the line A-A in Fig. 2, near the side (R) of the frame, showing the hollow cam for governing the strips to hold the sheet up to the platen and the outside cam to raise the feed board and allow it to fall at the proper time. This also shows the crank from-the main wheel to the rock shaft of impression works, through the connecting rod, the dotted lines indicating the parts which would otherwise be hidden from view. Fig. 4, is a View from inside the (R) side of the frame, showing the position of the several parts from that point in sectional elevation, as indicated 'by the letters of reference. Fig. 5, is a view of t-he interior of the press taken at the position of the line at c-c in Fig. 2, indicating the parts as per letters of reference, inside the (L) side of frame. Fig. G, is a special section looking from the inside of the (L) side of frame toward the said side of frame, showing the two segments of cog-wheels, as named by letters of reference. Fig. 7, is a section through the center of the press, in full elevation taken as indicated at the line B-B, Fig. 2. Fig. 8, is a front view of the distributing cylinders of the inking apparatus, showing their means of traveling one across opposite to the other so as to carry the ink from the center to the end and then reverse the motion and return, thus giving eXtra distribution.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe its construction and operation.

The driving shaft (a) has upon it, at its end outside the (R) side of the frame, a crank or pulleys as circumstance may require by which the whole machine will receive motion. This will be known in the drawings as (b), the pinion (c) is also outside the frame upon the same shaft gearing with the main or driving wheel (CZ).

Midway between the frames (R and L) upon the same shaft is the ink distributing cylinder (e) and on the opposite end outside of the (L) side of frame is the iiywheel Outside of the driving wheel (CZ) is attached, by a screw, the connecting rod (g) its opposite end connecting with the end of the crank (L) which is made fast upon the shaft of the impression works This shaft is a rock-shaft and has upon it within the frame, placed at equal distances from the center, two other cranks or arms, each parallel with and corresponding with the other, which will be known as (j) in the drawings. Each of these two arms have two connecting-rods or links, the one end of these links being fast to the arms and the other to the underside of the bed. Thus the four links or connectingrods connect with the four corners of the bed, at such points of distance from the center of the bed as shall be found convenient; the links will be known as (7c) in the drawings, and the bed as Two bearers, one for each side of th-e bed, (m) are made fast to the bed; these extend outward upon both sides of the bed as seen at Fig. 7. The duty of these bearers is first to hold the inking rollers (n, m) up to the distributing cylinder (e), and the second to keep said rollers from too hardly pressing upon the types when inking them; upon the sides of the bed, at either end outside of these bearers, are placed lugs or projections (o, 0,) as shown at Figs. l and 5. These lugs are to fit with corresponding pieces upon the platen, into which they fit so as to keep the bed and platen each parallel to the other at the time of taking the impression so that neither can vibrate so as to produce a mackle or other imperfect impression, and if necessary insure perfect register when it is desired to print on both sides or in one or more colors on the same side.

The platen (p) is always to occupy a fixed position and has its braces (g, g,) fast upon the fixed tube extending` from one to the other combining them with the flyboard or place where the sheets are deposited as they are regularly dropped by the grippers; the fixed tube isknown as (r) in the drawings, and the fly-board as Projections from the two sides of the frame (R and L) sustain these parts in their fixed position, while t-he main shaft passes entirely through the frame on both sides, so as to give motion to the other parts herein described. lt will thus be seen that causing the driving shaft to revolve drives the main wheel, which through the connecting rod sets eccentric to the shaft of said main wheel, causes the crank (h) to rock backward and forward carying with it the rocking-shaft and with it, the two arms inside the frame with the connecting-rods and the bed, by means of aV rotating reciprocating motion, thus carrying the bed up to the platen for the purpose of taking the impression and then as the shaft rocks in contrary direction relieves t-he bed with its form of types, conveying the same in a return movement back under the rollers; thus the form of types passes and repasses under inking rollers at each time of taking an impression.

A spring (u), or a counter balance if necessary may be used to insure the falling of the bed at the proper time, after the impression, if it shall be found not sufficient in its own weight.

Upon one of the connecting-rods which for this purpose T will call is an inkin g arm extending from its side toward the front of the press, this arm will be known as (/v), and has upon its side a stud with its frictionless roller to fit in the double cam (fr), and this is for the purpose of throwing the impresion olf and on at the will of the person operating the press.

The double cam is constructed wit-h a slo-t, or hollow cam, of the shape to follow the movement of the bed and its attachments, see. (x) in` Fig. 5; it has also a raised part upon which the roller (w) will rest and be guided back into the cain (00) this will be seen in Fig. 7 as (m). A stud fixed in the side of the frame (L) extends inward and having a spiral spring upon it, (see y Fig. 2) which always presses against the side of the cam to keep it in place at all times except when it is thrown off the impression; after which the cam (50) will raise the frictionless roller (w) so that it will by force of the spring (a) be again thrown into the proper place in so that the impressions will continue to be made until it may again be thrown out of gear. This vibrating double cam may be thrown backward and forward by a common lever to throw the impression off or on, this lever is not shown as it is a common instrument and its form may be changed to suit circumstances.

The fly-board has no peculiarity except that which has been already stated. Its position is readily understood by reference to Fig. 7, where the sheets of paper (red) are seen upon a flat board with a ledge at or near its lower edge with a set screw to slide it up to meet sheets of different sizes, should it be found necessary this {1y-board will always be found stationary with the platen, etc.

The feed-board is made to rise and. fall so that its back end may go down to give the sheet to t-he grippers and then rise out of the way for the revolving grippers so that they may pass underneath it.

A shaft (am) extends across the niachine and this is hinged to the board (b) from the side of this board extending over the frame is an arm (c) having a frictionless roller ((Z) arranged to run over the raised or outside cam (e) upon the back side of the main wheel and near the (R) side of the frame. This cam will be fully seen at Fig. 8; its office is to raise and lower the back end of the feed board at the proper time, so that the sheet, which has been propl sheet is to be placed against the gage; upon the side of the gage is an arm (g') extending over the (L) side of the frame where a stationary stud (/z') is placed to limit the distance the gage may fall, so that the end of the feed board may go lower down and deliver the sheet to the grippers underneath the gage points it will thus be seen that at each sheet the feed-board comes up and goes down, the. irst to receive properly the sheet against the gages, and the last to carry it to the grippers without the sheet changing its position until taken by the grippers. I also rovide a revolving frame of grippers to ta te the sheet of paper or card from the feedeboard and then carry it to the place of impression, where it rests until the impression is given. It is then while yet held in the grippers carried out from between the spring strip or frisket, and the platen and onward until it is over the fly-board, when the gripper opens and drops the sheets, one after the other and piling them upon the fiy-board, which from its position allows the sheet to fall against its ledge, and thus the sheets will be regularly piled one directly on top of the other. One or many sets of grippers may thus be madeto perform these offices, one succeeding the other, yet each meeting the various parts for operating and receiving the various manipulations, so that the several sets of grippers will perform like offices and produce precisely the same results as though but one set of grippers had been used. The base or center of this frame of revolving grippers is the main shaft (t) which being snugly fitted to the fixed tube (7') allows the said shaft (t) to revolve within said tube in order that the shaft may perform its other duties. The tube extends from the one side of frame to the other, and is in one piece from the platen and the fly-board. The arm or side of frame has its hub or projecting sides, and these hubs fit clos-e to and revolve upon the before named fixed tube. The arm extends its proper length from the hub, or from the center of the rmain shaft. There is upon each side of the platen a corresponding arm; and as many sets of these arms as shall be found useful, be the same more or less: near the outside or end of these arms is a brace extending from the one to the other' on the opposite side and firmly connects .the two arms together thus forming a frame to carry the gripper, one pair of arms being necessary to carry one gripper which is located near the said connecting-rod in the arm; the

arm will be known as the connectingrod as (Zc') and the gripper as (Z). These grippers have several parts connected with their opening and closing in their course of revolution.

In the drawing here presented two sets of grippers are shown, the paper held in one of which may be receiving the impression while the other is at rest to receive the next or succeeding sheet. The gripper is made up of two parts the lower( 2") being ay straight bar across that part which covers the width of the sheet, or as far as the width of the platen as presented to it, it then cranks off to its journals; upon one end is an arm (7W) having attached to its side near the end a stud for a frictionless roller (7cm) to work in the hollow cam (m') seen at Fig. 5, which guides and controls it in its several motions as it passes around the platen and fly-board. This base piece (Z") must be always held firm in its respective positions. The upper part or fingers (n') are fast upon a shaft (0') but held in place by set screws, so that the fingers may be moved upon the shaft to accommodate different sizes of sheets of paper. The shaft (0') extends entirely across the press from one arm of the gripper frame to the other and one extends outside the arm of the gripper frame to ree ceive the crank (p') by which they are opened at the proper time. A. spiral. spring upon the shaft (0') serves to closeand keep closed the grippers, during all the time when theyare to be closed, for the purpose of carrying the sheetto its several positions until it is relieved by the action of the lever cam (q') which has its fixed point upon the (L) side frame as shown at Fig. 7 its opposite end being an elongated cam; an arm upon its side extends over the frame so that a frictionless roller upon its end will rest upon the outside cam (r'); the two cams (r' and Q') giving the crank (29') the requisite motion to open the grippers at the proper time to deliver one sheet and receive another.

To drive the revolving gripper frame the following parts are used; outside the (L) side of the press, a connecting-rod (8') is at one end made fast to the wheel (15') eccentric from its shaft, (see Fig. 4L), the opposite end being attached to the crank (u') which is fast upon its shaft upon this same shaft inside the (L) side of the frame is a segment (10') which is fast upon the same shaft, the relations of these parts being that the eccentric movement given the connecting-rod and thence the crank ('w') causes the shaft (fz/ to rock, or vibrate, backward and forward, giving like movement. to the segment (10'). A second segment 1/ see Fig. 6), is geared with the segment (fw') and by a pawl (2') held in place by the spring (om) upon teeth pushes the gripper frame around to its proper place of rest. This segment (g/') is loose upon its central bearing the tube (7*), so that it may freely revolve upon the outside of said tube. Thus at the proper time the pawl acts upon the teeth and pushes the gripper frame around the required distance and then while the gripper-frame is at rest, allows the return motion of the segment (w) to bring back the segment (y), when it is ready to repeat the same operation and so on continually.

For the purpose of holding the grippers and gripper-frame, perfectly firm at their stationary point, (via, the receiving the impression and the sheet), a fixture (cZ) is affixed upon the (L) side of the press, a hole is made in the side of the arm of the gripper-frame (6) a barrel or tube f) has within it a piston around which is a spiral spring; this piston is operated upon by the cam (g) to force it into the hole in the gripper-frame arm and hold it there until the proper time for its relief, when the cam allows the spring to withdraw the piston and allow the gripper-frame to advance until the next arm is operated upon in like manner; thus the motions and stops of the revolving` gripper-frame continue alternately.

To keep the sheet up to the platen I provide spring strips extending across the platen-face. These are fast with a rockshaft (7W) the strips being (2W). A. crank upon the ends of the shaft (IX) is made to operate in the cam (c) which 'causes the strips to be lowered out of the way when the grippers are to pass and bringing them up to the sheet and the platen at the proper time to hold the sheet in place. A frisket of suitable construction, or other proper substitute, may be used instead of the spring strips, should it become necessary.

The inking rollers with the main distributing cylinders are of ordinary construction, held in place so that the distributing cylinder may convey the ink to the inking rollers, which in their turn pass it to the form of types; upon the upper part of the main distributing cylinder (e) (the inking rollers being (11,);) is placed two vibrating distributing rollers of half the length of the main distributing cylinder; the ink and friction cause these to revolve upon the cylinder (Cm). The shaft upon which these vibrating distributing rollers revolve is formed in a cross-cut right and left hand screw, having a fork to work upon said screw which will cause it to travel endwise as it revolves, to a given distance or its full length when a stop reverses the fork and it again travels in the opposite lengthwise direction, thus continually traveling in one direction or the other; two or more of these short or half length rollers may be used so that in crossing each other the ink will be carried from the end to the center in reverse carry it from the center to the end, thus completely distributing the ink to all parts of the distributer The half rollers will be known as (ZW) and the screw shaft as (0); as this screw and fork is a common device, further description seems useless.

Upon the upper part of the bed at either end are two bearers which prevent the impress from being stronger than is intended. These bearers extend on either side of the bed and there become springs, in a cam like form, to hold the inking rollers up to the distributer when the form is out from under the impression and govern these rollers in all their relations to the form and the distribution. They will be known as (0 0) in the drawings.

Having thus described and referred to the various parts involving novelty of operation, I will state that the nature of my invention consists:

1st, in providing a feed-board, which working upon its axis will vibrate, by rising so that the grippers of a revolving gripperframe may pass underneath the feed-board; said feed-board dropping down at the proper time to give the sheet which has been placed to the gage, to the gripper which has just passed from under the feed-board.

2nd, in providing a revolving gripperframe which alternately stops for the impression and revolves to carry the sheet to be printed, and thence to be delivered, in a regularly piled heap upon its fly-board. One or many sets of grippers may be used in this manner, but I give preference to two sets, the one to be at the impression and the other at the place of delivering the sheet, while resting and then by making half a revolution one occupies the position the other had, and so continuously onward one following the other. The sheet when taken by the grippers from the feed-board, is always held by the said gripper until piled upon the fly-board; that is one half revolution of the gripper-frame carries it to the place of impression or under the platen, when another half revolution carries it to the fly-board and piles it up.

3rd, in providing a rotating reciprocating bed, which by means of its rock-shaft with its cranks or arms, extends (aided by connecting rods,) to the four corners of the bed, so that rocking the shaft carries the bed with its form of types down under the stationary inking apparatus to ink the types and returning carries it up under the platen and by the straightening the arms and connecting-rods in one line, gives the impression.

4th, in providing spring strips or a frisket upon an axis which is lowered to allow the grippers to pass between this and the platen and then immediately close upon the sheet, holding it up to the platen until the impression is taken and the form relieved from the sheet.

5th, in providing inking rollers with a distributing cylinder each of which is in a fixed position except being arranged to revolve freely on their journals; the form of types to pass back and forth under them;

and also in providing two or more revolving distributers having a lateral motion which carries them endwise as they revolve, so if each one be half the length of the distributing cylinder they will in their lateral motions cross each other and carry the ink from the center toward and to the ends, and in reverse motions carry it from the end to the center, thus insuring a superior distribution of the ink.

Operation: A sheet being fed or placed against the guide, the press being in position as shown at F ig. 1. The grippers being ready to receive the sheet, the feed-board will lower, on moving the press, and present the sheet to the grippers, which immediately close upon the sheet. holding it firmly and then in their onward movement carry the sheet to the platen, on its arrival at that point the spring strips, or frisket, press it firmly up to the platen; there it rests until t-he bed goes down and returns, inking the form as it twice passes under the inking rollers. The bed then on its return, gives the iinpression by bringing the rock-shaft with its cranks or arms and the connecting-rods, (connecting them with the bed), and the bed itself in line at their full expansion, by

means of the rocking of the shaft. The sheet, having thus received its impression and been relieved from the form as well as the spring strips, or frisket, is by the neXt move of the gripper conveyed to its place of deposit, where it is dropped on the pile, upon the fly-board. In order to insure the stay of the grippers in a fixed position at the time of rest, a piston is arranged so as to enter and fill a hole in the side of the arm of the gripper frame, which is actuated as hereinbefore set forth, and thus confine it in that position until it is relieved by the cam which governs it. This insures the perfect receipt and delivery of the sheet at the proper time causing such nice accuracy in the action as always to produce the most perfect register, whether this may relate to the several printings of as many colors on the same side of a sheet or to printing on both sides of the sheet. IVe next nd that the spring strips, or frisket, as the sheet arrives under the platen catch and hold it until the bed arrives, give the impression and recede when the strips, or frisket, drop so that the revolving grippers may pass between the said grippers and the face of the platen. 'Ihe impression is produced by the action of the rock-shaft, before referred to, and the crank or arms upon it, through the aid of the connecting-rods which confine them to the bed; these producing by the vrocking motion of the shaft the result of carrying the bed with t-he form of types, down under the inking rollers, to ink the form of types, and thence to the place of impression, and there by their being extended to their largest limit give the impression, when the bed recedes and vibrates by rotating down to be inked again. A double cam will throw off or on the impression as hereinbefore fully described. For the purpose of insuring the most perfect union of the bed and platen at the time of the impression, a sort of male stud is placed upon one and a female upon the bed or platen is arranged to receive and fit the male referred to. This with the confined position of the arms of the gripper-frame renders perfect and free from mackle or other inaccuracy, either in register or otherwise.

The inking apparatus being fully described with its operations needs no further explanation.

It will be quite easy to so arrange the platen that it may be turned over when making the form ready for the purpose of overlaying, putting on the tympan, etc., but this is not the subject of one of the claims at present submitted.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. One or more sets of grippers, or nippers, independent in themselves, which shall revolve upon their axes and carry the sheet from its point of feeding to its place of deposit, whether operated in the precise manner described or in some equivalent way.

2. I claim the stop or its equivalent for holding the said grippers or their equivalent in the desired position, for the purpose of insuring an exact and regular feeding, registering, and delivering of the sheet, as fully set forth.

3. I claim one or more sets of grippers (which revolve upon their axes) having a movable base, with fingers to close upon said base and hold the sheet, whether constructed in this precise manner or in some equivalent way to produce a like result.

4. I claim the combined action of the said grippers and the vibrating spring strips, or frisket, for the purpose of conveying the sheet to, and receiving and holding it, in the proper position for the reception of the impression, and insuring its proper delivery after it shall have been printed.

5. I claim the vibrating double cam for throwing off and on the impression.

6. I claim, two or more distributing rollers, having a lateral motion upon a main distributer, which shall move independent of and in an opposite direction to each other; and thus alternately cross and re-cross each others distribut-ion, for the purpose of giving a uniform inking.

7. I claim the relative arrangement of the feed table, the iiy-board, the platen and the bed, substantially as described in combination with the revolving grippers.

8. I claim the two distributions given to able ledge in conloination with the grippers the inking rollers, upon one Cylinder, for to insure the even piling of the sheet whateach impression (heretofore patented by ever its size may be. me) in combination with the rotating reeip- GEO. P. GORDON.

5 rocating bed With its spring extensions as Witnesses:

fully set forth. J. L. KINGSLEY,

9. I claim the fly board with its adj ust- JOI-IN VATSON.

[FIRST PRINTED 1911.] 

